Weight actuated hat hanger



1955 s. .1. GOTOWKA 2,720,984

WEIGHT ACTUATED HAT HANGER Filed Aug. 3, 1953 INVENTQR li'rz zwar 6010mmATTORNEY United States Patent 2,720,984 WEIGHT ACTUATED HAT HANGERStephen J. Gotowka, Detroit, Mich. Application August 3, 1953, SerialNo. 372,046 6 Claims. (Cl. 211-30) The present invention consists in newand useful improvements in a hat hanger of the type generally formed ofwire bent to the proper configuration and adapted to be suspended fromwall hooks, cloak room hanger rods or on the backs of doors. Morespecifically, the invention relates to an improved hat hanger of thisgeneral type, wherein the hat is retained in position in the hanger by agravity or weight actuated locking mechanism which engages the brim of ahat and prevents accidental displacement.

Heretofore, numerous efforts have been made to design wire hat hangersand in some instances these eiforts have been extended to includelocking means. However, all of these previous constructions have proveneither too complicated and expensive from the standpoint of economicmanufacture or they have been diificult to operate.

It is therefore the primary object of my invention to provide a gravitylocked hat hanger which is of extremely simple construction, requiring aminimum of wor"- ing parts and one which is easily operable in both theinsertion and removal of a hat therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a gravity locked hathanger wherein the weight of the hat in position therein, is sufficientto actuate and retain the locking mechanism in engaging position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hat hanger of thistype which is constructed of three component parts, each formed of arelatively simple one-piece Wire construction which is inexpensive andof a light weight which greatly facilitates its ease of handling.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a gravity lockedhat hanger wherein the locking mechanism imparts an extremely lightgripping action against the brim of a hat, so as to avoid distortion,yet is sufliciently positive in action to firmly retain the hat in placeuntil released.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in the novel featuresherein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designatesimilar parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the hanger, showing a retainedhat in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view showing the locking mechanism inengaging position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper portion of thehanger, showing the relationship of the three component parts, and

Figure 4 is a detail view showing the locking mechanism in bothoperative and inoperative positions.

As shown in all figures of the drawings my improved hat hanger iscomposed of three components, A, the suspension element, B, the main hatsupporting element, and C, the locking mechanism. All three of thesecomponents are formed of suitable wire which may be of the typegenerally used in the manufacture of conventional wire coat hangers.

The suspension element A consists of a length of wire bent at one end toform a hook or other suitable hanger 4, the base of which terminates ina triangular configuration 5, the horizontal leg 6 of the triangleforming a pivot bar from which the remaining components are suspended.The end of the triangular shaped portion of the suspension element A islooped over the wire at the base of the hook 4 and secured as at 7.

The main supporting element B consists of a single length of wiretwisted around itself to form a vertical leg 8, the base of which isbent outwardly at right angles as at 9 and then again bent upwardly atright angles to form a bifurcated crown engaging cradle 10. The cradle10 as best seen in Figure 1, consists of two diverging arms 11, joinedin a substantially V-shaped support for the crown of a hat H, the arms11, being spaced sufficiently above the base 9 to accommodate the brimof a hat with the crown resting on the arms 11.

The upper ends of the twisted Wire forming the leg 8 are bent angularlyto form diverging arms 12 which terminate in outwardly directed, axiallyaligned trunnions 13 for pivotally suspending the supporting element B,as will later appear.

The suspension element A and the hat supporting element B areoperatively connected by the intervening yoke C, which forms a combinedcoupling and locking element. As best seen in Figures 2 and 3, the yokeC consists of a single length of wire, the central section 14 of whichextends horizontally for a length substantially equal to the spacing ofthe trunnions 13 on the diverging arms 12 where it is transverselylooped to provide axially aligned bearing members 15, for pivotallyreceiving the respective trunnions 13. The intermediate portion of thehorizontal section 14 is bent to form two aligned loops 16,longitudinally spaced by an intervening portion 17 and adapted to bepivotally suspended from the horizontal leg 6 of the suspension elementA.

The opposite free ends of the wire forming the locking mechanism C, arebent laterally from their respective loops 15 to form a pair of parallelhat brim locking arms 18. As seen in Figures 2 and 3 each of these armsis bent at an acute angle to form a short leg 19, then outwardly atsubstantially right angles and again downwardly at an acute angle toform a hat brim receiving recess 20. From the hat brim receivingportions 20 the wires are bent at an inwardly directed angle to formbrim engaging arms 21, the free ends of which are adapted to embrace theweb of a hat brim.

As before stated, the hat brim locking or gripping mechanism is gravityactuated and automatically retains a hat in place through a leveragearrangement which is responsive to the weight of the hat supportingelement :8 and the hat retained therein. This gravity actuated of thesuspension element A, the loops 16 permitting this pivotal movement.Thus, with no hat in place in the hat supporting element B, the partsautomatically fall into the position shown in dotted lines. However,upon lifting the hat supporting element B, the locking mechanism C isrotated in counterclockwise direction causing the brim engaging arms 21to be elevated clear of the vertical plane of the leg 8 of the hatsupporting element B.

While in this position, a hat is inserted in the hat supporting elementwiththe lower portion of its brim resting in the base support 10 and theupper portion of its brim'lying within the. brim receiving portion 20'of' the locking mechanism. Now, when the ha't'is released its weight,together with that of the'hat supporting'element B, causes the latter toresume its tendency to rotate the locking mechanism in a clockwisedirection about its axis 6. When the free ends of the arms 21 engage theweb of the hat brim they are prevented from further rotation and in thisposition, the oifset relationship of the two fulcrum points 6 and 13together with the weight of the hat and hat supporting element B, resultin a constant leverage action which maintains the engagement of the arms21 with the web of the hat brim until the weight is relieved.

In order to remove the hat from the hat support, the element B is liftedslightly which in turn rotates the locking element C through the areshown by the arrows in 1 Figure 2, disengaging the locking arms 21 fromthe hat brim, whereupon the hat can be removed by simply lifting it outof the support B.

It will thus be seen that I haveprovided a very simple and efficient hathanger which is positive in action and readily adaptable to fill manyneeds. The leverage action of the offset fulcrum points, responsiveentirely to the force of gravity eliminates the need of any springs orclamps which have a tendency to disfigure the brim of the hat retainedthereby. The feather weight, yet positive action of my improved lockingmechanism is considered an important feature of the invention.

From the foregoing it is believed that my invention .may be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art without further description itbeing borne in mind that numerous changes may be 'made in the details ofcon- 7 struction without departing from the spirit of the invention asset forth in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. "A hat retainer comprising a suspension element, a hat supportingframe and an intervening yoke operatively connecting said element andframe, said yoke having a central section provided with a main bearingportion pivotally suspending the yoke from a horizontal axis on saidelement, bearing means on said central section, parallel withandlaterally offset from said main bearing portion, pivot means on saidframe suspending the latter from said ofiset bearing means on the yoke,and hat gripping arms projecting from said central section, overlyingsaid frame and rotatable with said yoke aboutthe axis of said mainbearing portion, whereby the weight of said frame acts on said centralsection to normally urge said arms into gripping position.

2. A hat retainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said yoke is formed ofa single length of wire, said main bearing portion and said offsetbearing means consisting of loops in said wire and said gripping armscomprising the free ends of said length of wire.

3. A hat retainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hat supportingframe is formed of a single length of wire bent upwardly at its lowerend to form a hat supporting cradle and bifurcated at its upper end, thebifurcations terminating in the frame pivot means for said oifsetbearing means on the yoke.

4. A hat retainer as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe hat supporting frameand the yoke are each formed of. an individual length of wire bent toform the respective elements thereof.

5. A hat retainer comprising a suspension element, a hat supportingframe formed of a single piece of wire twisted upon itself and bentupwardly at its lower end to form a hat supporting cradle, with itsupper free ends'diverging and terminating in oppositely disposedconcentric V trunnions, an intervening yoke formed of a single length ofwire bent .to form a pair of main bearing loops pivotally suspending theyoke from a horizontal axis of said element, and a second pair of loopsparallel with and laterally offset from said first-named loops forming asecond bearing means, the trunnions on said frame sus} pending thelatter from said offset bearing means on the yoke, and hat .grippingarms projecting from said yoke, overlying said frame and rotatable withsaid yoke about the axis of said first bearing portion, whereby theweight of said frame acts on said ofiset bearing means to nor mally urgesaid, arms into gripping position.

6. A hat retainer as claimed in claim 5, wherein said arms are bent toform a brim receiving recess and terminate in inwardly directed brimengaging ends which'upon rotation of said yoke, under the influence ofthe weight of said frame, are normally urged to intersect the verticalplane of said frame.

1,655,609 James Jan. 10,1928

Didge Feb. 26, 1935

